Australia have reacted to the decision to place New Zealand's Leon Williamson in charge of Saturday's Four Nations final by requesting that their choice for the match, Shayne Hayne, act as an observer in the video referee's box. Williamson's appointment ended days of stalemate, with England preferring the Englishman Steve Ganson to take charge of the final and Australia refusing to move from their preference for Hayne.

The matter was complicated further when the third judge on the panel, the New Zealander Ian Mackintosh, voted for Williamson to take charge despite the fact he is part-time and does not officiate in either the Super League or the NRL in Australia. The 40-year-old Williamson has his own plumbing business in Auckland, though he did take charge of Australia's 42-4 victory over France in Paris on Saturday.

The Rugby Football League confirmed Williamson's appointment today, along with that of Warrington-based Phil Bentham as the video referee. Soon after that Australia, whose coach Tim Sheens has criticised the standard of officiating in the tournament to date earlier this week, requested that Hayne acts as an observer to Bentham on Saturday.

Hayne will have no authority on any decisions at Elland Road. Australia will at least be satisfied that the final was not handed to Ganson, to whom they were opposed after his performance in the earlier match between the two nations on Halloween.

Australia have sprung a couple of selection surprises in their team for the final, including starting with the Penrith utility forward Luke Lewis in the second row. The coach, Tim Sheens, has also picked six substitutes, with